Wounds
by xTamashii
Summary: Yes, she was tired. Yes, she was slightly hurt. But most of all, she was in love with the Methuselah above her. [IonxEsther]


I'm writing a random oneshot. I know I should be updating my other stories, but I need to put this thought into writing.

Well, I hope you like!

Rated for blood…though it really isn't much.

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_**Wounds**_

_By Tamashii-x-no-x-Renkinjutsushi_

It was late.

Yet Esther could not sleep. She was fairly worn out from all of the things she had to do during the day, and she was beat.

But yet, she was unable to sleep.

Something was making her restless, uneasy, and uncomfortable. She had no idea what it was.

Esther tossed and turned, stared at the ceiling for half an hour, then buried her face in the pillow, pleading to God for some sleep.

Sadly, none came.

Something wasn't right. She couldn't tell exactly what it was, but she could feel it deep inside her heart. It scared her to no end.

A gentle tap on her window made her jump. Literally.

She cautiously went to her window, grabbing her pistol off of the nightstand. Hey, one could never be too safe.

She swept back the curtains, and raised the pistol, then felt her knees go weak as she collapsed on the bed, dropping the pistol.

It was Ion. He was holding his side and had blood splattered on his face.

The friend whom she hadn't seen for years came back? Possibly wounded and blood covered?

She immediately threw open the window, helping her old friend into her room.

"Ion…" She had one hand over her mouth in horror.

Blood streamed out from between his fingers. She couldn't clearly see the wound with him covering it like that.

Esther wasn't the best healer, but she had to try.

"Ion, what happened?" Her face was paler than usual.

"Attacked." He spat angrily, along with a mouthful of blood on the floor. She couldn't be sure if it was someone else's or his own.

"By who?"

"Don't know. Ambushed."

"How…w-were you wounded?"

"Sil…ver…swords…"

Suddenly very horrified, Esther forced her friend to lay down on her bed. She didn't care if it got bloody.

She quickly unbuttoned and removed his shirt, and stifled a gasp.

There was a gash on his side that stretched from his ribs to his spine. It bled profusely and looked fatal. Several other much smaller cuts covered his body.

She grabbed her medicine kit out from under her bed. Again, one had to be always prepared. Esther always was.

She soaked a cloth in warm water, and began to cut strips for bandages. She didn't care what he said, she had to stop the bleeding. And if he was thirsty…she could handle that.

Pulling the rag out of the water, she carefully began to clean his wounds.

"Esther…" He began weakly. She could sense a protest.

"Just hush. I'm going to do this anyways."

"…Thank you."

"Hm."

As she finished cleaning his wounds, she removed a small bottle and soaked the rag with it.

They were both silent as she worked. Ion was looking at her intently the whole time. She was concentrating intently on her work and didn't notice his gaze. He had loved her for a long time. She never knew that. It wasn't something he could forget though.

As forbidden as it was, he loved her all the same. Even though she probably saw him as no more than an old companion, his feelings remained unchanged.

Her slender, skillful hands worked quickly on his wounds. She was very careful with what she was doing, he noticed, and was concentrating hard.

She pulled out a large roll of bandages, and began cutting them into strips. He still watched her, the expression on his face never changing.

There were no other sounds except for their breathing and the gentle sounds of the night outside of Esther's window. It was late. He could tell she was worn out, even though she tried not to show it. He could hear it in her heartbeat, but chose not to sa anything.

So, the silence continued.

Esther suddenly stood up, taking bloody rags with her and disposing of them in the fireplace. She lit a match, and tossed it into the fireplace. The wood ignited immediately, casting a warm glow around the room.

He watched her as she made her way back to him, and began cleaning up her supplies.

His throat felt raw and burned. He inwardly winced, feeling the sharp pains in his sides. He clenched his jaw to prevent him from doing something he knew he would regret later.

The whole time, Esther watched him, somehow seeming to know what was going on.

She pulled a small knife from out of her medicine kit. Ion's eyes widened with a horrified understanding.

"No…"

Esther ignored him, and placed the blade of the knife near her wrist. She smoothly sliced from the top of her palm to her wrist, waited for blood to flow out, then looked up at Ion.

"This is what you want…I can see it."

"I…no…Esther…"

"It's alright. I'll be fine." A ghost of a smile touched her lips. "Besides, there isn't any other way."

"No, I can—"

"I know damn well you'll kill yourself trying to control it Ion Fortuna, so take it now." Her eyes were burning fiercely, leaving him with not other options.

"If I kill you…" He felt a deep ache in his heart at that, "I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

This seemed to startle her briefly, but then the intensity returned to her eyes. "Just do it."

It seemed like an age before his lips reached her blood-covered hand. When his mouth found the wound, she could feel his fangs stick slightly into her skin. It stung a lot more than she had imagined, but since it was for him, she could handle it.

He was beyond reason now. Ion was no longer himself. Although it hurt her greatly to see him like this, she was more than willing to give up her blood for him.

Seeming to be done with her hand, the young Methuselah pulled himself away. Esther examined her hand. Fang marks were on her palm, and she could hardly feel her hand. She laughed humorlessly. She didn't regret her decision, but now she had a permanent reminder of this occasion. She grabbed a strip of cloth out of her medicine box and wound it around her hand. It would have to do.

When she looked up from her hand, Ion was sitting up, staring straight at her, traces of her blood lingering upon his lips.

"Ion…" She whispered, staring back at him just as intently.

"Why…did you…" He couldn't finish the sentence. There was no more to be said.

"I wanted to. For you." She said simply, suddenly becoming very interesting in her bandages palm, she traced circles over her bandage.

Ion did not miss this. "Let me see."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't want you to see it." Her voice was nothing more than a harsh whisper, but it cut him deep. Deeper than the blades of his enemy had pierced him. Now he was both angry and hurt.

"Esther," he growled, "show me now."

She made an attempt to turn away, but her grabbed her wrist. She tried in vain to break from his grasp, but to no avail. His strength was a thousand times greater than hers. So instead, she gritted her teeth and turned her head away as she felt Ion slowly unwrapping the bandage from her hand.

Of course, he probably would remember how much blood he had sucked, and from her hand alone. He would soon find out.

She could hardly feel his gentle fingers upon the still stinging wound on her hand. She was surprised when he pressed his whole hand over her wounded palm, gently wrapping his fingers around her hand.

Astonished, she looked back at him, saying nothing.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not really your fault."

"Yes it is. I don't know if I can forgive myself now."

"Why?"

He looked up then, his shining, ruby-red eyes burning into hers. "I hurt you."

"I'll be alright. That's no reason to take it so hard."

He then closed his eyes and chuckled, softly, sadly. A sad smile was upon his face. He then opened his eyes to gaze at her.

"It doesn't erase what I've done. I've always struggled so hard to fight my bloodlust when I'm around you, and it seems I've finally lost."

Her eyes saddened immediately. "Ion…"

"I shouldn't have come here…I don't know why I did."

Esther outwardly winced at his words. His eyes immediately flashed up to her face, anxious.

She looked down. She could still feel his eyes on her face, searching for answers. After what seemed like an age, she finally looked back up at him.

"That was uncalled for."

"What do you mean?"

She shifted uncomfortably on the floor. "What you said."

He was silent for a moment, then looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"I forgive you then." She made a poor attempt to smile.

"Is something wrong?"

"I…don't think so."

He still hadn't released her hand. She looked worn out; there were dark rings beneath her now dull blue eyes.

"I'm depriving you of sleep."

"Hm? Oh, I guess."

Ion sighed heavily and released her hand. Esther grabbed the bandage and re-wrapped it. He found his bloody and torn shirt, and looked at it with exasperation. Esther giggled softly. She didn't know why it was funny it just was.

He looked at her, raising his eyebrows, before smirking. Then, so quickly she wasn't sure how it happened, Ion had her pinned down on the bed beneath him. The devilish smirk never left his face. There was a glint of mischief in his blood-red eyes.

It scared Esther a little. She felt as if she had the wind knocked out of her, and Ion was smirking at her. His hands were gripping her wrists and he was straddling her. What was he thinking?

Ion's smirk melted off of his face as he gazed at her seriously. He removed one of his hands from her wrist and placed it carefully on her face.

"Something is wrong," he said solemnly, "and you know it."

Esther turned away, feeling awkward and ashamed. Yes, she was tired. Yes, she was slightly hurt. But most of all, she was in love with the Methuselah above her.

She wasn't about to say that.

"I'm just stressed out." She lied lamely.

"That's not the answer I'm looking for."

Damn it. "I don't know how to say it…"

"Take your time."

Damn it all. He had to act interested. "Ion…"

He remained silent, eyes fixed intently on her face.

"I love you."

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Esther could see thousands of emotions displayed upon Ion's face. Amazement, disbelief, happiness, and sadness could bee seen before he calmed his expression.

"Esther." He lowered himself until his lips were at her ear. "I'm in love with you as well."

Esther was shocked. A Methuselah loving a Terran, and that Terran loving him back. It was unheard of. But here it was, happening in this very room.

Esther shifted out from under him so they were side by side on her bed. She was fairly close to him, and had an excellent view of his well-toned body. She fought the urge to blush, and clamped her eyes tightly shut.

He was wounded for heaven's sake! Now she felt horrible. She opened her eyes again, and lightly put her fingers over his bandaged wound.

"Does it hurt?"

He closed his eyes, whether from exhaustion or pain, she couldn't tell. "A little. But it doesn't with your hand there."

She smiled sadly. She was a queen, not just any queen, but the Queen of Albion. It would be devastating if her people heard she had run off with a 'vampire.' The thought made a few tears escape down her face.

Noticing this, Ion wrapped one arm around her and pulled her close. "What's wrong?" He whispered into her neck.

Esther bit her lip, unsure of what to say. "I don't know what to do."

Ion removed his face from her neck and gazed intently at her. "About what?"

She closed her eyes in defeat and exhaustion. "The people of Albion. I can't love you Ion, as much as I want to, I can't. It's because of my duty as Queen of Albion, I just can't. So you should go now, and find someone who is worth your time."

"I doubt I could love anyone else. There isn't any reason for being depressed."

"No reason? I could very well die if anyone saw me like this," she moaned, trying not to cry. "I just can't."

His face was hard, unreadable. "Then there is one last thing I must do before I go."

Esther opened her eyes and looked at him, and before she realized what was happening, he kissed her, full on the lips. Esther was too shocked to respond, and touched her lips lightly when he pulled away.

He flashed her a sad smile, and carefully stood up, going to retrieve his shirt. "Thank you for everything, Esther. Thank you for loving me." Then he was gone.

Tears poured down her face, yet she didn't make a sound. She clenched her bandaged hand into a fist. Now she really hoped that her hand would scar.

The wounds of her aching heart would never heal, not as long as she had her memories. These wounds would not fade.

For Esther would not let them.

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Well, that was kinda sad. Read and review please!


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